Circuit breaker for motor vehicles



June 16, 1925.

c. GEDNEY CIRCUIT BREmfniR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed July 27, 1921ZzJx/Zivr @y frzzfezzff' CarZesZ.

Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES 'CHARLES L. GEDNEY, 0F ST. PAUL,`MINNESOTA.

CMUIT BREAKEB FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application file d July 27, 1921. Serial No. 487,830.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLEs L. GEDNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota,have invented new and useful Im rovements in Circuit Breakers for Motorchicles, of which the following is a s ecication.

e drivers of motor vehicles and particularl truck drivers frequently,and sometimes or long periods of time, allow the motor to run when thevehicle is stationary. This idling ofthe motor results in unnecessarywaste of fuel.

It is my object to obviate this waste by providing automaticv means toprevent the vehicle motor from idling longer than a predetermined time.

A further object of my invention is to rovide a device of this kind withmeans or changing the length of times that such motor may be allowed toidle.

Other objects will appear and be more fully` pointed out in thefollowing specification and claims. y

In the drawing, which illustrates the best form of my device now knownto me, my improved circuit breaker is illustrated in plan view,partially in section. The device consists generally of a governorlmounted upon the drive shaft 2 of the motor vehicle, a dash pot 3,adapted to be actuated by said governor and a manualll operated plunger4 adapted to be mounte upon the instrument board or cowl of the vehicleand connected to,l the dash ot piston rod by a flexible connector 5. hegovernor' 1 is of the fly ball type comprising a series of weights Gmounted upon flexible supports 7 on the shaft 2. The supportsy 7aropivotally connected atene end to a collar- 8 which is last on theshaft 2 and at the other end to` a collar 9 which is slidablelongitudinally on said shaft. The governor is mounted between thctransmission gears and differential ol' the vehicle so that the shaft 2rotates` only when the vehicle is moving.

The weights 6 when rotated bear upon a mushroom head 10, formed on theadjacent end of the dash pot piston rod 11 and said piston rod Vpassesaxially through a cylinder 12. A piston 13 is fast on the rod 11 withinthe cylinder 12 and said cylinder is adapted to conta n a liquid,preferably common type having a spindle 20 which isv threaded in thevalve casing. The inner end of said spindle is cone shaped and providedwith a seat in the casing and its outer end is provided with a knob 21for turning the spindle to adjust the opening of the valve. A largecoiled spring 22 tends to move the vpiston 13 to vthe extreme right endof its stroke within the cylinder 12.

Insulated from the adjacent mechanism is a metallic ringt23 whichencircles the iston rod 11 near the packing nut 15.

his ring 23 is adapted to be connected in circuit with the magneto ofthe motor so that b connect-ing said ring electrically with t e pistonrod 11 the circuit will be grounded and the motor will be stopped. Acollar 24, on the piston rod 11, is adapted to make electrical contactwith the rin 23-.When the iston is at the right end o its stroke. e-piston rod 11 is hollow and its end adjacent to the collar 24 is connected, by the flexible connector 5, With the plunger 4, said connectorbeing guided with- 1n a tube 25. The plunger 4 is fast on one end of aspindle 26 and lis adapted to be moved longitudinally within a casing 27by a knob 28 on the opposite end of said spindle. Rigidly mounted withinthe casing 27 and lnsulated therefrom, is a pair of flexible contactstrips 29. These stri s, like the ring'23, are connected in an inependenti nition system circuit which, When complete will stop themotor. When the strips 29 are connected electrically with each other thecircuit is completed.

In use the governor 1 and dash pot 3 are com lately enclosed in a steelhousing indicate in dotted lines at 30 in the-draw ings and the ignitions stem wires connected to the ring 23 an contact strips 29 are enclosedin a suitable protected cable. A door, indicated at 31, inthe housing30,

is adapted to be sealed to prevent access by unauthorized persons .tothe adjusting valve 19.

Operation.

In operation the needle valve 19 is preferably adjusted so that itrequires from one Ato ve minutes for the piston 13, under the action of'the spring 22, toV force liquid from the right to the left side oi saidpiston through the conduit 17.

When it is desired 'to start the motor the plunger 4 is withdrawn to itsdotted line position by manipulatin` the knob 28 and then returned toits full ine position. This manipulation, by means of the flexibleconnector 5, draws the piston 13 tothe extreme left of its stroke, theliquid in the cylinder 12 passing freely through the conduit 16 from theleft to the right side of said piston. As the plunger 4 is returned ltoits full line position the connector` 5 passes into the hollow rod 11.The spring 22 now moves the piston 13 slowly to the right and before thecollar .24 makes contact with the ring 23 the vehicle must be in motion,otherwise igni- Ition be prevented. By adjusting the valve 19 thedesired amount of time for starting the engine and vehicle is allowed.As soon as the vehicle is in motion the governor 1 acts; the weights 6move outward under centrifugal force and impinge against the mushroomhead 10 to move the piston rod 11 to the left and hold 'the colla-r 24outv F of contact with the ring 23.

When the vehicle is brought to a stop the motor can only be idled forthe period required for the piston 13 to 'force the liquid through theconduit 17 and valve 19 to the left side of the piston, i. e., until thecollar 24 is brought in contact with the ring 23. If an attempt is madeto prolong idling of the motor by manipulating the knob 28 to hold thecircuit open between the collar 24 and ring 23 the plunger 4 willcomplete the circuit between the contact strips 29. This breaks orgrounds the ignition circuit and makes idling the motor 'for4 longperiods impossible. c

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a governor adapted to be mountedon the drive shaft of a motor vehicle, a dash pot actuated by saidgovernor, a switch actuated by said dash pot and adapted to be connectedin an ignition circuit of the vehicle motor, and a manually operatedplunger connected with said dash pot to permit manual operation of saidswitch.

2. In al device of the class described, a dash pot, a switch actuated bysaid dash pot and adapted to be connected in a cir- Cuit with thevehicle motor, a manually operated plunger connected with said dash potand means for actuating 'said dash pot independently of `said plungerwhen the vehicle is at rest.

3. In a device of the class described, av

dash pot having a spring actuated piston, an adjustable valve to dampenmovement of said piston in one direction, manually operated means formoving said piston in the opposite direction, a switch actuated by saidpiston and adapted to be connected in an ignition circuit of the vehiclemotor, and means for pushing said piston against the action of saidspring when the vehicle is in motion.

4. In a device of the class described, a cylinder adapted to be filledwith a liquid, a piston in said cylinder, a conduit for liq-y uidbetween the ends of said cylinder, a spring to resiliently hold saidpiston at one end of its stroke, a switch adapted to be actuated to stopthe vehicle motor when said piston is in a predetermined position, meansfor holding said piston out of said predetermined position when thevehicle is in motion and manually operated means for drawing said pistontemporarily out of said predetermined position when the vehicle isstationary.

5. In a device of the class described, a cylinder adapted to be filledwith a liquid, a piston in said cylinder, a conduit for liquid betweenthe ends of said cylinder, an adjustable valve in said conduit, a springto move said piston to one end of its stroke, a switch adapted to bemoved to stop the vehicle motor when said piston is at said end of itsstroke, means for holding said piston away from the end of its strokewhen the vehicle is in motion and manually o erated means fortemporarily pulling said piston away from the end of its strokev whenthe vehicle is stationary.

6. In a device of the class described, a cylinder adapted to be lledwith liquid, a piston in said cylinder, a conduit for liquid between theends of said cylinder, a valve in said conduit, a spring to move saidpiston to one end of its stroke, a switch adapted to be actuated to stopthe vehicle motor when said piston is at said end of its stroke, meansfor holding said piston away from the end of its stroke when the vehicleis in motion, a manually operated plunger for'teniporarily moving saidpiston away from the end of its stroke when said vehicle is stationaryand a switch actuated by the' plunger and arranged in the motor ignitioncircuit to stop the motor when saidJ plunger is manipulated.

7. In a device of the class described, a cylinder adapted to be filledwith a liquid,l a piston in said cylinder, large and small conduits forliquid between the ends of said cylinder, valves in said conduits, thevalve in the smaller conduit being adjustable, a spring to move saidiston to one'end of its stroke, a switch adapted to be actuated to stopthe vehicle motor when said piston is at said end of its stroke, meansfor holding said piston away from the end of its stroke w en thelvehicle is in motion and 10 its stroke when said vehicle is stationary.

8. 1n a device of the class described, a.

Switch adapted to be connected in an ignition circuit ofv a motorvehicle, resilient means for normally holding said switch in position torender the ignitlon system inoperative, and manuall operable means andmeans actuated by e motor of said vehicle to move said switch from saidposition. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification.

CHARLES L. GEDNEY.

